The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of the one-year health insurance premiums for qualified Filipino indigents enrolled at Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

In a statement, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the department released P25.16 billion to PhilHealth to cover the insurance premiums of over 8.3 million qualified and enrolled Filipino indigents.

The Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) was approved by the Budget Secretary on 23 May 2023.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. mandated his cabinet to ensure that Filipinos are provided with affordable health care,” Pangandaman said.

“The pandemic has made us aware of the importance of a more robust healthcare system, so we are working hard to bring it closer to our countrymen, especially those who need it the most,” she added.

Indigent persons are those that have no visible means of income, or whose income is insufficient for family subsistence, as identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), based on specific criteria.

The fund will be sourced from authorized allotments in the FY 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 11936.

To recall, the DBM approved the release of a total of P42.9 billion to cover one-year health insurance premiums of over 8.5 million senior citizens nationwide on April 4, 2023.